When we can no longer bear the suffering of sentient beings, says the Seventeenth Karmapa, we unleash our full potential to help others and ourselves.

Practices of loving-kindness and compassion are indispensable elements of all religious traditions. These are qualities everyone can practice, regardless of their religious affiliation or ancestry. In fact, training to develop loving-kindness and compassion provides a bridge between all religions and all the many parts of our global society.

I am a Buddhist, but I still have to live my life as a member of the larger world community and take full part in society, where Buddhism is not the only spiritual tradition. There are many different forms of religion and spirituality, and there are also many different types of people, including those who are inclined toward religious or spiritual approaches and those who are not.

Since our world community is so very vast and diverse, it is important for us to respect the…

A group from Palpung Wales, which actually consisted of people from all over UK, traveled to join the His Holiness 17th Karmapa’s first teaching weekend in London, Battersea. It was an absolute privilege to be part of that weekend, in many ways. We received touching and inspiring teachings from His Holiness Karmapa on Geshe Langri Tangpa’s famous “Eight verses of Mind Training,” a key instruction on how to bring the Dharma into daily life. At the same time it was like a gesture of welcoming His Holiness Karmapa’s 17th incarnation to this country for the first time. Meeting with the many Dharma friends and coming together in His Holiness’s mandala was a very heart-warming experience. We were also very fortunate to have a group audience with His Holiness on Saturday afternoon. From original Palpung Wales group it slowly formed into a Palpung United group of about 60 people from Wales, Ireland and Slovenia, and some from Italy as well. It was a great chance, although only…

The Adarsha Tibetan Buddhist Electronic Reader, a tool for reading and searching Tibetan Buddhist texts, is now available on Android. Created by the Dharma Treasure Corporation under the direction of Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, Adarsha features many different ways to access the canonical texts of Tibetan Buddhism, including automated catalogs, simple searches, and advanced searches.

It allows users to quickly find and read the passages they need without writing anything down or making mistakes. In the past, the great texts were wrapped in cloths and worshipped on shrines; with Adarsha, anyone with a computer, phone, or a tablet can read, study, and research them.

Adarsha includes a broad and comprehensive collection of canonical texts. Not only will it include the canonical texts of the Indian tradition found in the Kangyur and Tengyur, there are also plans to include collected works of many great Tibetan masters of all lineages and all of the Tibetan editions of the Kangyur and Tengyu…

Recently the Gyalwang Karmapa went through a medical examination in Germany, his doctor strongly advise him to stop all Dharma propagation activities so that he has more time and space to treat some of the medical conditions that he has. After much consideration, the Gyalwang Karmapa decided to cancel this year’s Asia Dharma Teaching, i.e. the Diamond Sutra Teaching.

When we heard about the Gyalwang Karmapa’s decision to cancel the teaching, our emotions evolved from unspeakable shock to calm contemplation. Eventually, we understand the difficulty and necessity to make such a decision. We will continue to pray that the Diamond Sutra Teaching to be held in future, yet we are unsure when and where the teaching will be held. Therefore, we will begin the refund process for those who had registered for the teaching after we had negotiated with the hotel for refund.

Even though we feel a sense of regret that the Diamond Sutra Teaching cannot be held, yet we understand and …

On this very auspicious day of turning the first wheel of Dharma by Lord Buddha (Chokor Duchen), I decide to release this special and profound doha (song of realization) written by His Holiness the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa describing his yearning to meet his Guru Tai Situpa again and again by the blessing of Mother White Tara. It is sung by Guru Vajradhara when he returned back to the residence after the recent surgery.

May everyone be liberated from the suffering of samsara and attain the ultimate happiness and joy by hearing this profound and blessed melody. This is the sincere aspiration of Tenam.

The English translation of the lyrics is taken from the book “Dharma King – The Life of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa in Images”

The song is ala thala thala.
Ala is the way it arose:
Thala is the way it is expressed in words.
In a pure land, rich with turquoise leaves.
On a throne of brilliant, white shell,
Is the deity of long life, the mother Lady Tara.
I pray to her from the depth…

In 2016, the Centre had lifted restrictions on 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, movement within India after five years. Following this, he visited Arunachal Pradesh, an area claimed by China.

Any such visit to the by the Tibetan leader living in exile in India is likely to anger China. This comes at a time when the two countries are engaged in a standoff in Doklam plateau in the Sikkim sector.

In 2016, the Centre had lifted restrictions on Dorje’s movement within India after five years. Following this, he visited Arunachal Pradesh, an area claimed by China.

“I also invited the Prime Minister to visit Sikkim after the rainy season came to an end this year, which he agreed and promised to make a trip soon,” Chamling told the media after his mee…

Today’s episode comes from the Gyalwang Karmapa’s maiden tour of Canada where he gave teachings all over the country. Many Canadian students had been waiting for years to hear him speak, and so it was a particularly special occasion.

This teaching is on the subject of meditation and how we can use this Buddhist practice to find inner freedom and bring about a more happy and beneficial life. The Karmapa approached the topic from the point of view of his own personal experience, and a wonderful, practical and sometimes humorous occasion unfolded over the course of the hour.

The talk is in Tibetan with an English translation and has been slightly edited for length and audio clarity.

GANGTOK: The relay hunger strike by monks under The Denjong Lhadey banner completed one full year today (June 10) with their demand for early visit of 17th Karmapa to Sikkim still unrealised.

The monks had sat on their relay hunger strike on July 10, 2015 here at BL House, Tibet Road demanding the Karmapa is allowed to visit and bless Sikkim at the earliest.“We will continue with our relay hunger strike. If no proper solution is made by end of this month, the monks are ready to go to any extent,” said the monks.

--DICHEN ONGMU

TST Reporter

Gangtok, July 10: The opposition Party SKM MLA Kunga Nima Lepcha, Sangha MLA Sonam Lama and party workers as well as former Minister & social worker T Lachungpa visit at BL house today on the completion of one year of the Indefinite Relay Hunger Strike by the monks from various monasteries of Sikkim at BL House in Gangtok.

The indefinite Relay Hunger Strike started by monks from state of Sikkim at BL house, Gangto…

WASHINGTON DC: On Wednesday, July 5th, Gyalwang Karmapa visited the Office of Tibet on Wednesday, 5 July during his three-day visit to Washington, D.C. This trip to Washington follows his one-month visit to Canada.

The afternoon visit to the Office of Tibet was informational. Representative Penpa Tsering updated him on various OoT activities and programs, while Kungo Tenzin Tethong, Director of Radio Free Asia, Tibetan Service and Thinley Nyenday, VOA Tibetan Service, informed him of their organization’s activities and issues of importance in Washington. Gyalwang Karmapa was also given progress updates on the political and support activities carried on by the International Campaign for Tibet (ICT) and Office of Tibet. ICT President Matteo Mececci gave a short briefing on their lobbying efforts and the current political climate in Washington regarding human rights in the current administration.

During his recent visit to the USA, His Holiness the 17th Karmapa visited Karma Thegsum Choling in New Jersey and gave a blessing ceremony to hundreds of his students at the Westin Hotel in Mount Laurel.

The Gyalwang Karmapa graced KTD, his monastery in North America, with a short private visit toward the close of his international tour in July of 2017. Please enjoy the video celebrating this joyful occasion, along with the photos of his arrival, the traditional Tea and Rice Welcome Ceremony, and consecration of the new Stupa Project site.